George Nugent Travels

Airlines are charging for everything these days, selecting a seat, hold luggage and even cabin baggage, but is it really worth paying for these, or should you go without?

We have all seen it at least once, a really cheap fare with an airline like Ryanair, but after you have added the seat and a bag the price has doubled. It may seem frustrating, but I would argue that in most cases these are an unnecessary expense and your trip will be just the same without them.

Should I pay for a seat?

Short answer, it depends. I would say if the flight is less than 2 hours, then paying for a seat is the most unnecessary thing you can purchase. Sitting next to a stranger is not that bad, and although the flight is booked for 2 hours, remember airlines pad their timetables, so the actual flight time will probably be around 90 minutes.

Although, if you are tall and really need the extra space, then look at the price of the extra legroom seats and decide if you want one or not.

However, if the flight is longer than 2 hours, essentially a destination further east than Krakow, then I would advise biting the bullet and paying for a seat. For a flight to Dalaman from Glasgow where the flight time is approximately 4.5 hours, having the seat you want is important, although, really think about if you want the window or the aisle.

If flying trans-atlantic the answer is, always book a seat.

Should I pay for bags?

This is a charge I paid for once, and have never paid for again. Paying for a hold bag is quite frankly ridiculous and unnecessary (however, if it is included in a package deal then keep it!) You shouldn’t really need a bag big enough to go in the hold for a trip less than 14 days, if you know how to pack efficiently!

Cabin bags on the other hand is where it becomes confusing as most airlines charge you to take a cabin sized bag onboard an airline (the notable exception from the rule is Jet2.)

This charge is not without reason, as both easyJet and Ryanair reported customers bringing bags that do not fit in the overhead bins, which in turn delays departure as bags need to be checked into the hold.

If you are going on a weekend trip, don’t pay for a bag and just take a backpack that fits under the seat in front of you. For trips of around 1 week, try and pack your belonging into a backpack to see if they fit, you would be surprised how much fits!

Should I pay for onboard food and drink?

This answer is similar to my answer with bags, it depends on the length of the flight!

In this case I would say flights less than 3 hours, don’t bother buying food onboard, wait until you land, it will be better quality and cheaper than onboard.

On flights longer than 3 hours again look at the prices and decide if it is worth it.

In terms of pre-booking a meal, in my opinion it is never worth it, and should be avoided.

Conclusion

Are extras worth it, simple answer NO!

These are just another way for an airline to make money from you, a seat might be worth it, and a cabin bag as well, but other than that, just stick with the bare minimum ticket, as it provides all you will need.